At Buffum Homes, we believe every custom home should be a reflection of the family who lives there, and this Spring 2026 Parade Home in Grandville, Michigan was a perfect example of that philosophy brought to life. This one-of-a-kind home showcased the incredible customization and craftsmanship that Buffum Homes is known for throughout West Michigan. From the moment visitors arrived, it was clear this home was something special. Featuring stunning architectural details, thoughtful design elements, and statement pieces around every corner, this home left a lasting impression on everyone who toured it during the HBA Spring Parade of Homes. Upon entering, guests were welcomed into a breathtaking two-story great room highlighted by a dramatic wall of windows that floods the space with natural light. Opposite the windows, a beautiful masonry fireplace chase extends upward, surrounded by custom built-ins that create a stunning focal point for the room. Looking above, the eye is immediately drawn to the intricate tray ceiling detail, a signature design feature that Buffum Homes loves incorporating to add character, dimension, and visual impact. Just off the entryway, the home features both a private office and a versatile flex room complete with beautiful built-in cabinetry. The flex room offers endless possibilities and can easily function as an additional bedroom, playroom, music room, hobby space, or whatever best suits a family’s lifestyle. Flowing seamlessly from the great room is a spacious dining area and an expansive custom kitchen designed for both everyday living and entertaining. The kitchen is complemented by a large walk-in pantry, providing ample storage and functionality while maintaining the home’s clean and elegant aesthetic. Natural daylight pours throughout the entire main floor, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in every space. Off the dining area, oversized glass doors lead to a massive covered deck that transitions into an open-air deck space, offering the perfect setting for outdoor living, entertaining guests, or simply enjoying beautiful Michigan evenings. The mudroom is thoughtfully positioned just off the kitchen and serves as a practical everyday entry point. Complete with a convenient half bath and abundant built-in locker storage for coats, shoes, backpacks, and everyday essentials, the space combines functionality with custom design. Spanning roughly 1,700 square feet, the main floor was carefully designed to maximize both livability and visual impact. Every room was intentionally crafted to blend beauty, comfort, and practicality, creating a welcoming environment that feels both luxurious and functional. Ascending to the second floor, homeowners are greeted by a thoughtfully designed upper level offering over 1,100 square feet of comfortable and functional living space. The spacious primary suite serves as a true retreat, featuring a beautiful cathedral ceiling that enhances the room’s open and airy feel. Large windows provide abundant natural light, creating a peaceful space to unwind at the end of the day. The luxurious primary bathroom was designed with both comfort and style in mind. It features a custom tiled shower, a relaxing soaking tub, a dual-sink vanity, and plenty of room to move about comfortably. Completing the suite is an oversized walk-in closet with ample storage and organization space. One of the home’s most practical design features is the direct connection between the walk-in closet and the conveniently located laundry room. The laundry room offers dual access, creating a seamless flow that simplifies everyday living and makes laundry tasks more efficient and accessible. Also located on the second floor are two generously sized children’s bedrooms along with an additional full bathroom, providing plenty of space for family members or guests. The thoughtful layout balances privacy for the primary suite while maintaining easy access to the secondary bedrooms. Combining functionality, comfort, and custom design, the second floor perfectly complements the home’s stunning main level while providing over 1,100 square feet of well-planned living space for the entire family. The finished lower level adds over 1,300 square feet of additional living space, making this home as functional as it is beautiful. Designed with both entertaining and everyday living in mind, the basement features a spacious family room anchored by a stunning custom built-in entertainment center, creating the perfect gathering space for movie nights, sporting events, or simply relaxing with family and friends. This level also includes two additional bedrooms and a full bathroom, providing comfortable accommodations for guests, older children, or multi-generational living. A dedicated exercise room offers a private space for health and wellness, while still allowing flexibility for future use as hobbies and family needs evolve. One of the standout features of this lower level is the impressive 9-foot ceilings, which create an open and inviting atmosphere rarely found in traditional basements. Combined with thoughtful design and quality finishes throughout, the space feels like a true extension of the main living areas rather than an afterthought. In addition to its finished living areas, the basement provides abundant storage space, ensuring homeowners have plenty of room for seasonal items, recreational equipment, and household essentials. In total, this custom home features over 4,100 square feet of finished living space, including approximately 2,800 square feet above grade and over 1,300 square feet in the finished lower level. The home offers 5 bedrooms, or 6 bedrooms when utilizing the main-floor flex room as a bedroom, 3.5 bathrooms, multiple gathering spaces, a dedicated office, exercise room, expansive outdoor living areas, and countless custom details throughout. Every square foot was intentionally designed to maximize functionality, comfort, and beauty while creating a home uniquely tailored to the homeowners’ lifestyle. Not only was this a beautiful home situated on a stunning site, but it was also a beautiful project that truly showcased the endless customization possibilities available with Buffum Homes. From the thoughtfully designed floor plan to the carefully selected finishes and statement features throughout, every detail reflected the homeowners’ vision and personality. We were honored to feature this home in the HBA Spring Parade of Homes and share it with the thousands of visitors who toured it throughout the event. It served as a true testament to the craftsmanship, creativity, and attention to detail that define the Buffum Homes experience. As you scroll through the photos below, we hope you’ll find inspiration for your own future home and see how thoughtful selections, custom features, and intentional design come together to create something truly special. Let these spaces get your creative juices flowing and help bring your dream home vision to life.

Every design project has its own story, and this one stands out for the creative collaboration and smart decision-making that brought it to life. Our client—a designer herself—came to us with a clear vision: she wanted a lighter, brighter kitchen with more functional storage and a larger island for seating that wouldn’t disrupt the flow of the space. From our first meeting, I knew we were going to build something special together!

Central El Paso Backyard Renovation: Fifteen years is a long time for a backyard to quietly wait. At first, it was full of intention—a pool that promised summers, laughter, and long evenings. But time has a way of settling in. The water turned still, then green. Edges cracked. The space became less of a destination and more of something you looked past. Life moved forward, but the backyard stayed behind. Then came the decision: it was time. Not a patch job. Not a quick fix. A complete reset. The transformation didn’t begin beautifully—it began with demolition. The old pool was drained, exposing years of neglect etched into its surface. Crews stepped in, breaking, clearing, reshaping. What once held stagnant water became an open cavity of possibility. Steel rebar formed a new skeleton, precise and intentional. Every line measured. Every elevation reconsidered. This wasn’t just construction—it was rethinking how the space should live. The shell was rebuilt. Surfaces were refined. Plumbing, structure, and flow were corrected at their core. What had once been outdated and failing was now engineered to last. Then the shift happened. Hardscape came in—clean, warm-toned concrete replacing worn decking. Stone walls, once just boundaries, were elevated into features. Subtle textures, intentional lines. A visual language that matched the architecture of the home instead of competing with it. The pool returned—but not as it was. Now it was sharp, modern, and inviting. A long, clean body of water with a shallow tanning ledge that catches the sun just right. Stainless steel scuppers arc water into the pool—movement, sound, life. Steps are crisp, geometry is balanced, and the water reflects clarity instead of neglect. Around it, the yard found purpose. Artificial turf introduced contrast—green, controlled, low-maintenance. A pergola structure rose in the corner, creating a destination within the destination. Beneath it, a built-in outdoor kitchen turned the backyard into a place to gather, not just pass through. Lighting stitched everything together, making the space just as alive at dusk as it is under the midday sun. By the end, nothing felt accidental. What was once forgotten is now deliberate. What was once avoided is now the center of attention. Fifteen years later, the backyard didn’t just come back—it finally became what it was always supposed to be.

If you look closely, you can still find rare, curb-less, sand-fringed streets in and around Peregian Beach that serve as a reminder of the Sunshine Coast’s past - a time when life moved at a slower pace. Inspired by the humble fibro beach shacks of our history, Lorilet draws from an era when you could arrive home salty and sandy, toss your board aside, and sink into a depth of relaxation rarely achieved in today’s hectic world. Lorilet is defined by the classic, simple geometry of the traditional "fibro shack." Clad in classic panels and punctuated by subtle accents of colour - a nod to vintage mid-century palettes - the home balances a solid structural presence with soft, textured materiality. From the street, the residence presents as a modest two-storey shack, intentionally disguising its true scale by nesting an entire level of function below street level. Upon arrival, a turf-block path guides visitors toward the front gate and into the arrival court - a curated, light-filled space where a tiled pool and private alfresco redefine the coastal threshold. Here, the design intent becomes clear: Lorilet is an exploration of sightlines and seamless spatial flow. The home is configured to open entirely from the front courtyard, through the central core, to frame uninterrupted vistas of the western mountain ranges. One can sit by the pool and watch the sun set deep behind the distant ranges, looking straight through the heart of the home. While the primary open-plan living spaces remain uncluttered and intentionally simple, the hidden lower level steps down the site to accommodate three bedrooms, including a private guest suite that opens onto the rear garden. Tucked deep within this level, a wine cellar takes advantage of the natural thermal stability of the earth, providing the perfect environment for storage. The uppermost level provides a private domain for work and contemplation. A dedicated office yields ocean views - a necessary distraction and a constant reminder of the surf - while the master suite features an integrated ensuite with sweeping views toward the western ranges. Concealed at the highest point of the structure, an elevated viewing platform offers a solitary vantage point to check the morning swell. Through a focus on setting, occupation, and use, Lorilet explores a narrative of deep connection to both coastal history and its immediate natural environment.

Home bar - craftsman home bar idea in Los Angeles

When the holidays arrive at home, include a room decorated to celebrate the peace and joy of the season. Lights go low and calm prevails as you hope for some softly falling snow outside. Here, a tree is dressed in shimmer instead of fuss, the graphic chairs that don’t believe in behaving, brass catching the glow just right, and a Moroccan lantern doing what it does best by casting a little magic after dark.

Upper Valley Estate Curb Appeal – El Paso, Texas This curb appeal transformation was conceived as a deliberate sequence—an arrival experience where architecture, landscape, and lighting work together as one. Every element was designed to honor the home’s stone construction, turreted forms, and Old World character while responding precisely to the Upper Valley climate and lifestyle. By day, the experience is grounded and composed. Brick-edged concrete drives establish order and permanence, guiding movement through the property with clarity and intention. Natural stone walls and columns anchor the architecture, while layered gravel beds, drought-tolerant plantings, and manicured turf soften transitions and connect the home to its desert setting. Mature trees were preserved and carefully integrated, providing scale, shade, and a sense of continuity. As afternoon shifts toward sunset, the materials begin to speak differently. Stone warms, textures deepen, and sightlines subtly draw the eye toward the front entry. The landscape narrows the focus, creating a moment of pause before arrival—calm, quiet, and refined. At night, the design reveals its final layer. Low-voltage lighting is integrated with precision, washing stone surfaces, tracing architectural curves, and uplighting specimen trees to create depth without glare. The drive, walkways, and entry feel safe, legible, and inviting, while the home itself glows with a restrained elegance. Coming home after dark feels intentional—protected, welcoming, and unmistakably yours. What was created is more than curb appeal. It is a cohesive design-build solution where nothing is ornamental without purpose and nothing is built without intention. A daily experience of arrival that reflects craftsmanship, care, and the enduring character of the Upper Valley.

Every design project has its own story, and this one stands out for the creative collaboration and smart decision-making that brought it to life. Our client—a designer herself—came to us with a clear vision: she wanted a lighter, brighter kitchen with more functional storage and a larger island for seating that wouldn’t disrupt the flow of the space. From our first meeting, I knew we were going to build something special together!

Bathroom - mid-century modern bathroom idea in St Louis

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Seattle.

A CUSTOM DUTCH DOOR leads to the potting shed, used to store trash cans convenient to the street for pick up. DIAGONAL BEAD BOARD is used here, on exterior shutters and on doors inside the house.

Upper Valley Estate Curb Appeal – El Paso, Texas This curb appeal transformation was conceived as a deliberate sequence—an arrival experience where architecture, landscape, and lighting work together as one. Every element was designed to honor the home’s stone construction, turreted forms, and Old World character while responding precisely to the Upper Valley climate and lifestyle. By day, the experience is grounded and composed. Brick-edged concrete drives establish order and permanence, guiding movement through the property with clarity and intention. Natural stone walls and columns anchor the architecture, while layered gravel beds, drought-tolerant plantings, and manicured turf soften transitions and connect the home to its desert setting. Mature trees were preserved and carefully integrated, providing scale, shade, and a sense of continuity. As afternoon shifts toward sunset, the materials begin to speak differently. Stone warms, textures deepen, and sightlines subtly draw the eye toward the front entry. The landscape narrows the focus, creating a moment of pause before arrival—calm, quiet, and refined. At night, the design reveals its final layer. Low-voltage lighting is integrated with precision, washing stone surfaces, tracing architectural curves, and uplighting specimen trees to create depth without glare. The drive, walkways, and entry feel safe, legible, and inviting, while the home itself glows with a restrained elegance. Coming home after dark feels intentional—protected, welcoming, and unmistakably yours. What was created is more than curb appeal. It is a cohesive design-build solution where nothing is ornamental without purpose and nothing is built without intention. A daily experience of arrival that reflects craftsmanship, care, and the enduring character of the Upper Valley.

Minimalist formal and enclosed carpeted and gray floor living room photo in Other with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Example of a minimalist formal and enclosed carpeted and gray floor living room design in Other with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Upper Valley Estate Curb Appeal – El Paso, Texas This curb appeal transformation was conceived as a deliberate sequence—an arrival experience where architecture, landscape, and lighting work together as one. Every element was designed to honor the home’s stone construction, turreted forms, and Old World character while responding precisely to the Upper Valley climate and lifestyle. By day, the experience is grounded and composed. Brick-edged concrete drives establish order and permanence, guiding movement through the property with clarity and intention. Natural stone walls and columns anchor the architecture, while layered gravel beds, drought-tolerant plantings, and manicured turf soften transitions and connect the home to its desert setting. Mature trees were preserved and carefully integrated, providing scale, shade, and a sense of continuity. As afternoon shifts toward sunset, the materials begin to speak differently. Stone warms, textures deepen, and sightlines subtly draw the eye toward the front entry. The landscape narrows the focus, creating a moment of pause before arrival—calm, quiet, and refined. At night, the design reveals its final layer. Low-voltage lighting is integrated with precision, washing stone surfaces, tracing architectural curves, and uplighting specimen trees to create depth without glare. The drive, walkways, and entry feel safe, legible, and inviting, while the home itself glows with a restrained elegance. Coming home after dark feels intentional—protected, welcoming, and unmistakably yours. What was created is more than curb appeal. It is a cohesive design-build solution where nothing is ornamental without purpose and nothing is built without intention. A daily experience of arrival that reflects craftsmanship, care, and the enduring character of the Upper Valley.

Example of a classic kitchen design in Huntington

As a part of a larger transformation, the kitchen served as an anchor for rethinking how the home could feel and function. The goal was to create a space that felt truly integrated, flowed naturally within itself, and connected seamlessly to the outdoors. Storage was a top priority, with an emphasis on keeping countertops clean and the space feeling calm and open. Flow was equally important. What began as a layout optimized for entertaining evolved into a more intentional approach, where every sightline and transition was thoughtfully considered. The clients also needed the kitchen to work hard for their lifestyle, with a commercial-size refrigerator and freezer, generous prep space, and room to gather. The challenge was to bring purpose and polish to a space that didn’t quite feel like it belonged. The result is a kitchen that’s not only highly functional but finally feels like part of the home. Project challenges: - Maximizing storage was a primary challenge, especially with the inclusion of a commercial-sized fridge and freezer that occupied valuable cabinetry space. - The need for clean, uninterrupted lines throughout the kitchen required thoughtful detailing, especially around cabinetry transitions and appliance integration. - The oversized island design required two stone slabs and waterfall edges on both sides which posed both visual and logistical challenges. - Incorporating electrical outlets into the island in a way that felt intentional and unobtrusive demanded creative problem-solving. - The unique rooflines created strong visual angles that required a considered design approach to ensure the space felt cohesive rather than disjointed. - Balancing symmetry and flow in a kitchen with structural constraints required precise layout planning to maintain a cohesive visual rhythm. - Creating an intentional indoor/outdoor living flow, especially in the transitional space between the sliding doors to the backyard and the kitchen. Project solutions: - To balance the visual weight of the commercial-grade fridge and freezer, we flanked the range and hood with full-height pocket cabinetry, which created symmetry while reclaiming storage space. We also took a look into internal organization and carefully mapped out where every kitchen item would live. This allowed us to make informed decisions about drawer versus door configurations, and when to incorporate features like roll-out shelving to maximize accessibility and function. - Linear light fixtures above the island were chosen for their low visual impact, allowing sightlines to remain clear and emphasizing the thoughtful spatial layout. - The oversized island was carefully executed using two coordinated slabs, with a subtle brass inlay detail between them to turn a logistical challenge into a design feature. - Pop-up electrical outlets were integrated into the island to keep surfaces clutter-free while maintaining easy access, which combined form and function seamlessly. - With multiple focal points and a peaked vaulted ceiling, layout precision was key. The island, hood, and adjacent staircase were all perfectly centered on the vault, creating a sense of alignment across the open space. - In the transitional area between kitchen and backyard, we added a wet bar that visually and functionally connects the indoor space with the outdoors. This addition provides extra storage and creates a dedicated entertainment spot for guests, enhancing the overall flow and usability of the home.

The large, wooden door in this custom mid-century modern inspired home is surrounded by custom stationary picture windows and features a stone flooring.

Example of an arts and crafts dining room design in Los Angeles